Many people venture to the pacific northwest for the wealth of natural beauty and specifically, Alaska sightseeing. There is a great deal to admire and explore from cuisine to the ocean and the wildlife to the native history. How best to see it all? Some people do the rail or galivant by plane but, the best way to do Alaska sightseeing is by boat.
The rail is a predetermined path that you’re bound by and the plane well, you’re stuck in the air. Both are speeding along and while you get a nice overview, you don’t get to take in all of Alaska. Seeing more of incredible state leisurely is the key to taking an Alaska sightseeing adventure.
Why Alaska Sightseeing is Best from a Boat
See Where You Can’t Access
Alaska is full of places that are difficult to get to, some towns are only accessible by plane. That’s how remote it can be and one of the perks of doing Alaska sightseeing by boat is that you’re not bound by difficult terrain. You can see and possibly go on shore; lands you wouldn’t be able to drive or walk to.
You may be thinking, “wait, doesn’t that mean I can’t travel deeper into Alaska too?” Of course not, you’re not glued to the boat your entire trip in Alaska. You’ll just able to access parts of the coast you couldn’t any other way. Don’t deny yourself the opportunity to take in more of the landscape by thinking that doing Alaska sightseeing by boat means you’re only doing the boat. The ocean has created an incredible shoreline in Alaska and it’s a stunning panorama of beauty you can’t miss. So, step off the land for a bit and see what the Pacific Ocean has in store for you.
The Wild Marine Life
Alaska sightseeing is more than an incredible shoreline, it’s the wildlife. A lot of people just think of whale watching but, there is so much more you could eye. The ocean is its own world filled with all sorts of life and if you’re cruising along the coast, you’re bound to see more than one or two different species.
The “Lion of the Sea” or Steller Sea Lion are massive 2200 pound kings of Alaska. You could luck out and hear their distinctive roar while they lounge in groups on a glacier. You may get to see the giddy and playful relative of the weasel, the Sea Otter. Watch them use little rocks and base tools to crack open shellfish or lazily float around the shore. You could see the Harbor Seal or the Walrus and if you’re lucky, maybe the Giant Pacific Octopus galavanting beneath the water. Alaska sightseeing is an incredible opportunity to see how vast the animal kingdom is in the water and on the shore. You wouldn’t be able to see these creatures from a plane or train, that’s for sure.
Admire the Glaciers
Seeing glaciers in real life is something truly exhilarating and it’s hard to believe that just a super large piece of ice is but, it really is! There are whole tracks just to see the different glaciers and many of them are only accessible by boat. So, when thinking about doing Alaska sightseeing definitely look into smaller boats rather than large cruises. Many of the large ships can’t get close enough to really admire the mountains of ancient ice or anything really of note on the coast.
Some by boat Alaska sightseeing tours ferry you around different coastal cities so, you can get a tour and make your way through Alaska in the same trip!
Alaska Sightseeing by Boat
There are many ways to see different parts of Alaska but, to really get the best view of it you need to book a ride on a boat. You get to see all the kinds of wildlife from those that stay on land, fly high, swim deep, or hop between the shore and the ocean. You can admire the more frosty parts of the Pacific while getting lost in the immensity of the glaciers and see parts of Alaska you could never get to otherwise.
There are many more reasons to explore Alaska sightseeing tours but, these are definitely the top 3. So, take a few minutes and explore our website and see where you’d like to go or what you’d like to see. We have several options to give you as great of a view as possible. If you’re debating between a large Alaskan cruise to see some sights, just remember that small boats do it better when it comes to Alaska sightseeing!